Author Archives: meritsoftware

Secrets the Big Online Education Companies Don’t Want You to Know

Online credit recovery courses are big business for education companies.  Unfortunately, they may not deliver on promises to schools and students. These programs enable students to take courses in a variety of subjects to “recover” credits lost and receive a … Continue reading

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Closing the Widening Achievement Gap

The gap in educational achievement is growing between rich and poor, according to a new book published by Stanford University’s Center for Educational Policy Analysis. Family income has become a significant factor in predicting children’s academic achievement, says the author Sean … Continue reading

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How to Nurture Independent Readers

Through our work with educators we have seen several technology-based programs that emphasize phonics, fluency, and decoding but not many that focus on actual comprehension. This is unfortunate because for students to increase comprehension skills, they need to learn to … Continue reading

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Common Core ELA Help Available Now

The new Common Core Standards for English Language place a strong emphasis  on writing. In the United States, forty-five of the fifty states, plus certain territories, have adopted the new Common Core State Standards Initiative. Students will need to learn … Continue reading

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Helping Diverse Levels of Students

One of the most striking aspects of the Merit Online Learning system is the wide range of student levels instructors use the system with successfully.  Merit Online Learning is used in elementary school classrooms, secondary schools, English language learning programs, … Continue reading

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Making Data in Manageable for Teachers

Teachers are often challenged about how to use data to monitor student learning. We are able to monitor all students who use the Merit Online Learning system.  Data does not have to complicate teaching.  Data can easily answer a few … Continue reading

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Open Punch Beta Program

Merit Software is seeking a limited number of beta users for a new online writing instruction program. Open Punch helps students learn to write paragraphs on Narrative, Fact-Based, or Opinion topics.   Instructors may assign their own writing prompts (within certain … Continue reading

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English Vocabulary and College Admissions

In a recent blog post, the New York Times addresses the growing and passionate interest students from India and China, particularly Indian students, have in top American colleges and universities. A number of questions about applying to American colleges and … Continue reading

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$5 Reading and Grammar Programs – Limited Time Offer

Merit Software is offering Reading Skill Builder and Grammar Fitness for just $5 each per level (regularly $27 – save 70%). Offer expires Friday, December 16, 2011 at 5:00pm EST. For Home Users: To take advantage of this offer, visit … Continue reading

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Progress in Reading Scores?

Earlier this month the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress report on 4th and 8th grade reading and math scores were released by the U.S. National Center for Educational Statistics.   Reading scores continued to show no progress.

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